There has been much in the news about the abandoned and empty housing stock in Detroit now that there are far fewer jobs to support workers in that city. The city just completed a new survey to precisely map their parcels, and to determine the quantity, location and impacts of vacated housing stock.
The survey by the Detroit Data Collaborative found 91,000 vacant residential lots and 31,000 vacant structures. In the process, the survey also worked to map the neighborhoods that are in the best condition and that might warrant more attention for redevelopment. The city’s mayor, David Bing, is advocating the creation of a smaller city and a focus on making the city more livable.
The data collection effort is part of a push by City Connect Detroit Inc., which is funded by foundations, to create an in-depth regional data system to promote economic prosperity. The system takes a “data-driven approach to decision making with asset-based analysis” in order to inform and monitor planning decisions.
Read an overview of the study, including maps of the area, in this article from the Detroit Free Press.
